Wire rope or cable making machine



Aug. 29, 1933. p, R CLARK 1,924,772

' wm: ROPE on CABLE MAKING mcnmE Filed NOV. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ER. CLARK I I I Arr).

Aug. 29, 1933. P. R. CLARK 924,772

WIRE ROPE QR CABLE MAKING MACHINE V I Filed Nov. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE Application November 18, 1930, Serial N0.-496,526, and in Great Britain December 6, 1929 2 Claims.

cable, arc drawn by a drawing reel or the like a between oppositely disposed rollers.

In a machine for making wire ropes or cables according to this invention, the means for assembling and pressing the wires or strands of the twisted or formed rope or cable, which is disposed between the rotative part by which the wires or strands are twisted about one another, and the rope or cable drawing reel 'or the like, consists of grooved rollers carried in separate bearings movable in relation to one another, and constituting a rolling die surface, through or over which the rope is-drawn by the drawing wheel or reel.

Further, the bearings of the grooved rollers are connected together, and have adjusting means by which they are moved directly towards one another, or away from one another; while a further feature consists in the grooved rollers being supported at their peripheries by rollers in the bearings.

In making wire ropes or cables by machines of the kind concerned as heretofore constructed, the exterior wires of the strands, rope or cable are liable to become deformed or damaged, which r constitutes a serious defect; and the primary object and efiect of this invention is to overcome the same, and provide improvements by which ropes will be produced which are unaffected detrimentally by the action of the "die upon them by which they are collected or brought and pressed together.

In the case of there being two, grooved rollers as above described, disposed directly above one another, they may be carried in two separate bearings or carriers, as stated, one standing on and above a base, and the other inverted extending downwards from its base. The upper bearing may be guided and held by bolts or standards projecting up from the base of the lower bearing in which they are fixed and passing through the 5 of the frame or the like of the machine.

upper base; and the parts are adjustable in re- In one arrangement, the two grooved rollers have spindles which work in holes in the sides or cheeks of the bearings, and other free rollers are provided in connection with them, and are spaced apart, and carried in the bearings, and on these rollers the peripheries of the grooved rollers bear, and they may take the main thrust of the grooved rollers, or the greater portion of same.

The dies willbe disposed on the delivery side of the rotating head through which the various strands or wires pass from the usual rotative sun and planet or like mechanism of the machine to the die. The machine according to this invention can be used for making cables or ropes to be used for. supporting loads or weights, lifting, hauling and like purposes; or for making electric cables.

The invention, the nature of which is above described, is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which in Figure 1 a general side elevation the part of a wire rope or cable making machine concerned with this invention, is shown, with the improvements applied to it; and Figures 2 and3 are frontand side elevations of the assembling and pressing mechanism according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a toothed wheel, mounted on a shaft 3 supported and revolving in the bearing 2, and having apertures in it through which the strands or wires, which are to be laid up on one another or twisted together, are passed; the shaft 3 being that which supports the usual cradles carrying the bobbins on which the strands or'wires are wound, and which revolve with the shaft 3, and from which the individual wires or strands are fed in the wellknown way. The toothed wheel 1 is driven by a lower pinion 4' suitably driven from the driving gear of the machine.

5 is the cable or rope pulling and winding on drum, mounted on the base frame 6 of the machine, it being driven in any suitable known way; and between this drum, and the wheel 1 and the bearing head 2, through which the strands or wires pass, the assembling and pressing die mechanism, generally designated 7, is placed, it being in the case shown in Figure 1 mounted on a horizontal support 8 carried by the frame of the machine,and along which if desired it may be adjusted as desired.

With regard to the mechanism given in Fig ures 2 and 3, these illustrate in detail one form and construction of the-mechanism '7, 10 are the rotative parts which constitute the rotative former or die, being in the form of two grooved rollers, as shown, which are disposed directly above one another, so that the peripheries of the two rollers on each side of the grooves 11, nearly or completely touch, and thus form together a circular aperture 12, which constitutes the'ro tative die aperture.

The rollers 10 are supported in upper and lower bearings 13, 14, their supporting spindles 15 lying in holes in the sides of the bearings, whilst on each side of the vertical central plane of the device above and below the upper and lower rollers respectively there are two supporting rollers or roller bearings 16, the ends of which lie in the holes in the sides of the bearings 13, 14, and

on the peripheries of which the sides or flanges of the rollers 10 rest. Both the spindles 15, and rollers 16, are held in place by plates 17 secured to the outside faces of the cheeks of the bearings.

Thus the pressure to which the rollers 10 are subjected, tending to press them apart in the. assembling and pressing action, is mainly carried by the upper and lower supporting rollers 16; and the spindles 15 may, if desired, have a small amount of play within the holes in the bearings in which they lie and work; or the rollers themselves may revolve upon the spindles.

The lower bearing 14 has a base 18, and the upper bearing which is an inverted bearing, has an upper base or cross head 19, and the two areheld together and adjusted in relation to one another by threaded rods 20, the lower ends oi' which screw into threaded holes in the base 18; and these screws are turned by their heads 21, which have holes through them as shown, in which the turning bar or tommy may 'be introduced for effecting the adjustment.

In the case shown in Figures 2 and 3, the base of the lower bearing is supported upon a plate support 22, to which they are screwed by bolts as shown; whereas in Figure 1 these bearings of the rollers 10 are supported by plates or bars 8 as described, the plate 22 being carried suitably from the base of the machine.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembling and pressing means to be interposed between the twisting element and drawing reel of a machine for making wire ropes or cables, said assembling and pressing means in-' cluding aligned bearing elements having their adjacent ends spaced apart and of relativelyinverted V-form, 'a grooved roller mounted substantially in the apex of each bearing element, the respective rollers extending beyond the bearing elements and substantially in contact, the peripheral surface of each roller being formed with an annular channel, the channels of the two rollers cooperating to form a substantially circular die aperture, and means connecting the bearing elements wholly beyond the rollers and positioned in line with the axial plane of the rollers for adjusting the bearing elements and thereby the rollers relative to each other.

2. An assembling and pressing means to be interposed between the twisting element and drawing reel of a machine for making wire ropes or cables, said assembling and pressing means including grooved rollers, upper and lower roller bearings integral with the upper and lower carriers, the carriers having outwardly extending flanges, connecting bolts connecting the two flanges together and constituting adjusting.

PERCY R. CLARK. 

